Leo stopped. Chloe saw the decision on his face. For his entire life, he had met threats himself; he trusted no one else to hold his empire together. Another contraction struck.

Chloe cried out and buried her fingers in his shirt.

Leo touched his earpiece. “Vincent, you are in command.”

There was a brief silence. “Understood.”

Leo carried Chloe toward the medical wing. He did not look back.

Dr. Ellis and two nurses were waiting downstairs. Within minutes the room filled with controlled urgency. Chloe’s blood pressure climbed. Her contractions arrived too quickly, leaving her no time to breathe.